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C.A.S./K–12 Library Information Specialist Certification Program

The Certificate of Advanced Study (C.A.S.) in Library and Information Science is open to those who hold a master's degree in library and information science or a related field. Librarians, information scientists, and others in information management enroll in the program to refresh and update their skills, gain greater specialization in their professional training or redirect their careers from one area to another.

The C.A.S./K–12 Library Information Specialist Certification program enables the student to earn an Illinois Type 10 K–12 Library Information Specialist (LIS) certificate for library work in elementary and secondary school environments. The GSLIS K–12 LIS Certification program emphasizes the Library Information Specialist's role(s) in establishing teaching and learning communities, developing inquiring and reflective minds, promoting the effective application of technology and modeling a commitment to service; as well as the Library Information Specialist's proactive responsibility for providing access to and facilitating use of diverse library collections and resources.

C.A.S. Requirements | C.A.S. Courseload | K–12 LIS Certification Requirements

C.A.S. Requirements

Admissions

Applicants to the C.A.S./K–12 Library Information Specialist Certification program must have completed a master's degree in library and information science, with a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. A minimum GPA of 3.0 also is required in the last 60 semester hours of the applicant's undergraduate degree program. When applying to the K–12 LIS Certification program, students must submit an official score report demonstrating a passing score on the Illinois Basic Skills Test. The test is administered by the Illinois Certification Testing System. Further information can be found at http://www.icts.nesinc.com/. The GSLIS Admissions Committee makes every effort to assess applicants on their probable degree of success in the program, rather than relying only on how well the applicant meets the formal requirements.

Prospective applicants should see the Admissions section of our website for specific application requirements, deadlines and forms and contact the GSLIS Admissions Office at 217-333-7197 with questions.

Entry Dates

Students may enter the C.A.S. program in fall, spring or summer. However, application must be made to the K–12 LIS Certification program no later than October 15 for a practicum field placement in the following spring semester, or January 15 for a practicum field placement in the following summer or fall semester. These deadlines apply to both on-campus and LEEP students.

Required Clinical Fee

After students are formally admitted to the K–12 Program, they confirm their programmatic status by enrolling in EDPR 203 during their first semester as a K–12 student. EDPR 203 does not carry course creditor appear on transcripts but is a means by which students are assessed the required clinical fee ($650 during 2008-09) for K–12 Certification Program supervision.

Financial Aid and Enrollment Status

Students holding graduate assistantships awarded and/or administered by GSLIS must be registered for a minimum number of credit hours determined by the percentage time of the assistantship; students will be advised of the number of credit hours upon appointment. Students with graduate assistantships in the library or elsewhere on campus must follow the enrollment requirements for those departments. Information about applying for assistantships can be found under "Admissions" on the GSLIS home page.

A limited number of fellowships that include a fulltuition waiver and stipend are offered by GSLIS during the semester of their student teaching. To be awarded a fellowship, students will be asked to submit a statement of need to the K-12 Program Coordinator. They must be registered as full-time students (12 semester hours, fall or spring), and should not hold an assistantship. More information about fellowships is at: http://www.grad.uiuc.edu/fellowship/fellows.htm.

Computer Skills

Students admitted to GSLIS are expected to have certain computer skills in order to successfully complete coursework. These skills may be acquired before students begin the program or by taking special free workshops that are taught by GSLIS tech staff and the LIS Library each semester. Students need to acquire competency in three basic areas:

1. Basic computer literacy. This means performing such tasks as running a program and organizing and manipulating files on a personal computer, remote computer (such as a server), or removable media (such as a floppy disk or USB storage device). Students are expected to know how to compose and print a research paper with appropriate figures and/or tables using a standard word processing program. Students should know how to set up their personal computer, install software and connect it to a network (via dial-up, broadband, or wireless connection). Students are encouraged but not required to have a personal computer. Several computer firms offer educational discounts through the University MicroOrder Center. The on-campus GSLIS lab is Mac-based, however Windows and Unix/Linux users are also supported in the School.
2. E-mail and bulletin board skills. Students should know how to communicate using e-mail and electronic bulletin/message boards. This requires both a mastery of the technical issues of usage (how to read and reply to messages) and an understanding of proper etiquette.
3. Information retrieval skills. Students need the ability to use the University of Illinois Library online catalog and Online Research Resources database as well as common bibliographic databases found in many libraries.  Students should be familiar with finding information on the Web using search engines and other common tools.

In addition, certain skills may need to be acquired during students' time at GSLIS:

1. HTML/XML authoring. Workshops will teach basic HTML and XML syntax for creating documents and putting information on the Web.
2. Basic Linux (Unix). Servers running the Linux operating system can be accessed through the GSLIS local area network. These servers provide a wider range of software applications beyond those ordinarily available on the lab workstations. Programs running on the Linux servers can act on the files stored in student home directories. Some (not all) GSLIS classes may require students to use the Linux servers.
3. Database creation. Students may be expected to design simple databases in several GSLIS courses.
4. Information literacy in LIS. Students will become familiar with key information sources within the discipline of LIS, including journal indexes, full-text databases, online repositories and major Web sites.

Technology Support

At GSLIS, students have access to many technology resources, including the GSLIS User Services Help Desk. Please feel free to contact them with questions by emailing -help, at support.lis.illinois.edu- or by calling 1-800-377-1892 (toll free) or (217) 244-4903. The Help Desk is located in room 211 in the GSLIS building.

In addition, the Instructional Technology and Design Office and the Help Desk offer technology training workshops each semester for students, faculty, and staff. Most on-campus students take at least one LEEP class, so it is important for both on-campus and online students to take advantage of the many workshops offered. Workshops are regularly scheduled both in-person and online on topics such as the LEEP Live Session, introduction to Moodle (the open-source course management tool used in most LEEP classes), file storage options for GSLIS students and HTML.

The tech support staff at GSLIS have also compiled tutorials and other resources to help students learn and improve skills such as file management, using Webhuddle and Moodle, creating Web pages and navigating your GSLIS course space. For more information about technology support, go to: http://www.lis.uiuc.edu/oitr/help/.

C.A.S. Courseload

The Certificate of Advanced Study is a 40-semester-hour course of study structured to allow students to design programs that meet specific educational and career goals. Students in the combined C.A.S./K–12 Library Information Specialist Certification program must complete education coursework, field experiences and LIS coursework. Total completion time for this program varies from student to student depending on a variety of factors. Students have five years to complete the program. Upon admission to the certification program, students' graduate transcripts are examined by a youth services faculty member to determine which, if any, courses taken for the students' M.S. in LIS are equivalent to GSLIS courses required for certification. This information is provided to the University of Illinois Council on Teacher Education (CTE) Certification Officer when a coursework audit is requested by GSLIS. Each student's course program and fieldwork requirements for the C.A.S./K–12 Library Information Specialist Certification program are based on that audit and are developed by the student and his/her advisor.

Following the completion of 32 semester hours of graduate-level coursework, the C.A.S. student concludes the program with an 8-semester-hour thesis project. The C.A.S. project is a substantive investigation of a problem in librarianship or information science that is developed by the student in consultation with his/her advisor and concluded by a public presentation to the student's C.A.S. committee. Examples of the C.A.S. project for certification students are the required CTE Assessment Portfolio, the definition of an action research project, the submission of best practice evidence as required by National Board Certification candidates or the development of a comprehensive library information science curriculum.

Scheduling Options

Students apply for admission to the C.A.S. program as an on-campus or online distance education (LEEP) student. All LIS courses are taught both on-campus and via LEEP. Students in the K–12 Library Information Specialist Certification program are also required to take courses in Educational Psychology,  Educational Policy Studies, and Special Education that are equivalent to University of Illinois courses.  On-campus students take these courses at Illinois. LEEP students may take these courses at Illinois if offered online through the College of Education, or at another accredited school with prior approval (see the "Coursework Audit" section for more information). In addition, both on-campus and LEEP students complete field experiences in school libraries, including one semester of student teaching. All students work with the Program Coordinator to arrange field experience placements. See the K–12 Practicum Guide and the Student Teaching Handbook for more information.

Grades

Students must complete 32 or more hours of course work with a 3.25 GPA (on a 4.0 scale). Hours taken under the credit/no credit option are not computed into the GPA and may not be applied to the degree. Hours taken when a grade of "Satisfactory" or "Unsatisfactory" is assigned are not computed into the GPA, but are applied to the degree.

Credit Hours Petitioned to Count or Transfer

It is possible for students to request course credit from other departments or other institutions be counted towards or transferred to the C.A.S.

Up to 16 semester hours of coursework may be taken from a University of Illinois academic unit other than GSLIS (such as the College of Education) and petitioned to "count" towards the C.A.S. Use the "Request to Enroll in a Non-LIS UIUC Graduate Course for Credit Towards the C.A.S. in LIS" form.

In addition, a maximum of 12 semester hours may be transferred to the degree, subject to review by the GSLIS Curriculum Committee and the Graduate College. Transferred credits are subject to the conditions explained in the Graduate College Handbook, including the following: the credits have not been applied previously toward a degree; the credits are graded graduate-level coursework from an accredited institution; the student has achieved a grade of B or better; the credits were earned within the past five years. Transferred credits are allowed up to the following maximum limits:

1. up to 4 credit hours of non-LIS courses from any accredited institution
2. up to 8 credit hours of LIS courses from an ALA-accredited institution (no more than 8 total from a and b)
3. up to 12 credit hours taken as a non-degree student at University of Illinois (no more than 12 total from a, b, and c)

A student's academic advisor can assist in this petition process. Use the Graduate School Petition online system to request a transfer of credit.

K–12 LIS Certification Requirements

Coursework Audit

After admission to the certification program, a C.A.S. student's transcripts are evaluated by both a GSLIS youth services faculty member, and the CTE certification officer for two different reasons.

Certification Requirements - LIS Coursework

First, the GSLIS faculty member looks at a student's prior LIS coursework and determines which, if any, courses are equivalent to the LIS courses required for certification. The equivalent courses will not have to be taken at GSLIS, but will have satisfied the certification requirement. For example, a student who has taken a children's literature course at Dominican University would not need to take LIS 403: Literature and Resource for Children at GSLIS. This information will be written in a letter to CTE and included with the student's transcripts when the GSLIS Admissions Office requests a transcript audit from CTE. Students cannot request to transfer credit hours to the C.A.S. for courses that are considered equivalent if they have been used to satisfy requirements for another degree.

Second, a transcript audit request is sent to CTE. The Certification Officer will examine the student's undergraduate transcripts to make sure that the University of Illinois' general education requirements are met. The Officer will also determine if the student can be certified to teach other academic areas in addition to certification as a Library Information Specialist. The audit will list the courses that remain to be taken to fulfill certification requirements. Students should schedule an appointment for this important audit AFTER they receive an e-mail from the GSLIS Admissions Office directing them to do so. The appointment must be made by phone, and the meeting must take place in person. LEEP students can plan to meet with the Certification Officer during their first LEEP weekend on-campus.

Certification Requirements - Education Coursework

A total of four education courses are required for the K–12 LIS Certification program. These courses must be evaluated as equivalent to the same courses taught at the University of Illinois College of Education. See the list of Pre-Approved Education Courses for university and course options. After completing a course on the pre-approved list, e-mail the Certification Officer that the course has been taken, and submit an official transcript to the Officer.

If a student wants to take a course that is not on the pre-approved list, the following steps must be taken the semester BEFORE registering for the course:

1. Indicate which required course "seems" equivalent to the course being submitted for approval.
2. Send a complete course syllabus and request for approval to the K–12 Program Coordinator.
3. The Program Coordinator will forward the request and the syllabus to the CTE Certification Office, who will forward it to the appropriate College of Education department.
4. The student will be notified by e-mail whether the course is accepted as an equivalent, and the course will be added to the list of pre-approved courses.

Council on Teacher Education Student Portal

The Student Portal allows students in CTE-approved programs to monitor their certification progress. The CTE portal allows students to view their status on requirements such as: ICTS test scores, Bloodborne Pathogens Training and criminal background check. The portal also includes information regarding deadlines, announcements, contact information, CTE policies, online evaluation forms and other links of interest. Information on and instructions for accessing the CTE Student Portal can be found at: http://www.cote.uiuc.edu/.

K–12 Practicum/Early Field Experience

The K–12 Practicum is a supervised field experience of professional-level duties in an approved school library placement site. It is designed to provide K–12 LIS Certification students with the opportunity to work in a school environment under the supervision of an experienced Library Information Specialist with the guidance of the Program Coordinator. It is also an opportunity to integrate the educational theory and course content knowledge with the application of best principles and practices for working with youth and young adults. Students will be able to experience real issues, obstacles and solutions within the K–12 school setting by interacting with professional colleagues and engaging in professional activities while gradually assuming some teaching responsibilities.

Students will complete a minimum of 100 hours (up to 25 of which can be devoted to a pre-approved project) and receive a maximum of 2 semester hours of graduate credit. Prerequisites include completion of 14 hours of LIS coursework, and acceptance into the K–12 Library Information Specialist Certification program. Students must also clear a fingerprint-based criminal background check, pass online Bloodborne Pathogens Training and submit the required practicum forms before a school practicum may begin. Students usually complete the practicum requirement one or two semesters before student teaching. See the K–12 Practicum Guide for more information. 

Criminal Background Check

Requirements of the K–12 LIS Certification program include three field placements in school districts: the 100-hour practicum described above along with 8 weeks of student teaching at the elementary level and 8 weeks of student teaching at the secondary level. Illinois school districts require that applicants for field placements be subjected to a criminal background review prior to placement in a school district. All candidates in certification programs must clear a fingerprint-based criminal background check through CTE prior to participating in any field experiences in schools. For further information on this requirement, refer to the CTE website.

Student Teaching

Field experiences are critical components of a student's preparation for work as a school library media specialist. They provide the opportunity to acquire an understanding of the teaching process through guided, personal, "hands-on" experience. After successful completion of a K-12 practicum, students will register for two student teaching placements: one in an elementary library setting and one in a secondary library setting (middle or high school). Each placement will last eight weeks under the direction of an on-site cooperating teacher-librarian and a university supervisor, who work together to support and guide students as they apply the skills and knowledge learned in their university coursework to the real world. During each placement, teacher candidates perform the full spectrum of professional activities associated with the work of a professional library media specialist. Student teaching placements are arranged throughout Illinois only.

The Student Teaching Handbook is designed to assist GSLIS students, cooperating teacher-librarians, the Program Coordinator and the University Supervisor in planning for student teaching. It includes information regarding the procedures for student teaching and the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved.

CTE Common Assessment Portfolio

In addition to coursework and field experiences, the CTE Common Assessment Portfolio is required for all students completing teacher education programs at the University of Illinois, including the K–12 LIS Certification program. The CTE Common Assessment Portfolio represents the culmination of a candidate's professional growth through content and professional education coursework and clinical experiences. The completed electronic portfolio will contain performance-based documentation of each candidate's knowledge, skills, dispositions and professional behaviors achieved throughout their entire certification program. Students will want to begin developing this e-portfolio at the beginning of their certification program. See CTE Common Assessment Portfolio for more information.

Certification Program Support

K–12 LIS Certification Program students receive support and information about the program in three ways:

1. An informational meeting is scheduled each semester during LEEP weekend for both on-campus and LEEP students. Dates for the meeting will be announced via e-mail and the GSLIS online bulletin boards.
2. Certification and M.S./Endorsement students will be automatically enrolled in the K–12 News Group. The Program Coordinator uses this e-mail group to send program information and important announcements to all students interested in school librarianship.
3. It is highly recommended that students schedule a phone or office appointment with Georgeann Burch, the Program Coordinator, at -gburch, at illinois.edu- soon after admission to discuss their individual program, including the CTE Common Assessment Portfolio. Throughout their tenure at GSLIS, students are encouraged to contact the Program Coordinator and/or their academic advisor with questions.

For More Information

Contact the GSLIS Admissions Office with questions about the admissions process: (800) 982-0914 or (217) 333-7197, or see the Admissions section of our Web site. For questions regarding the combined C.A.S. in LIS/K–12 Certification Program, see the K–12 School Librarianship FAQs, then e-mail -lis-k12, at illinois.edu-